The Very Unfriendly Skies
June 25, 2008 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Disability Rights, Travel
The response to 2 year old Jarret Farrell and his mother, Janice Farrell, being removed from an American Eagle flight at the Raleigh-Durham (NC) because of his behavior—-
“The child had been crying and screaming uncontrollably, to the point where the child’s well being was in question,” American Airlines, the parent company of American Eagle, said in a statement. “Though, ultimately, the parent’s violation of FAA regulations was the cause for removal, both situations contributed to an uncomfortable and potentially unsafe atmosphere for our passengers and crew.”
—is reminding me a lot of the response to 13-year-old Adam Race, whose parents were served a restraining order by the Parish of St. Joseph in Minnesota due to his “disruptive behavior.” There’s many a judgment about the “behavior problems” of autistic children, and about their stubborn parents who just don’t get that they should stay at home.
The airline says that Janice and Jarret Farrell “were removed primarily because Janice Farrell kept her carry-on bag on the floor in front of her seat, but that Jarret’s behavior added to the tense situation.” There is mention of a flight attendant tugging Jarret’s seatbelt tighter and tighter and the flight crew “reprimanding and yelling at the toddler.” Commenters have responded in droves (over 1300 plus so far at the ABC news site; an “autistic bomb (what?) having “no place on a plane”). As my friend Regan noted:
What is more disturbing is the negative and sometimes vitriolic tone in some comments about the boy, his mother, how disabled people should behave, what autism is, what people who are differenced are entitled to, and passenger comfort.
My family lives in California and we were first in the Midwest and then in New Jersey. I’ve flown many times with Charlie from the time he was a baby, and we have, I have to admit, a real trove of (near-) horror stories. At four months, he cried non-stop for a four-hour flight; at seven years, I had to wonder if it was possible to crack the airplane window because he was swinging his head so forcefully. And just a few weeks ago, while waiting in the security line with Charlie crying loudly and non-stop because his dad was not traveling with us, he and I were escorted to the side by security personnel.
Unfriendly skies, and airports brimming with uniformed workers and tension, seem the rule.
I now strategize like an Athenian general planning a campaign. I schedule us on flights that leave very late or early so Charlie can sleep and I triple-double check that I’ve packed the melatonin; I bring Charlie’s favorite comfort items (so what if he’s a big kid and still needs a certain blue fleece blanket? it helps). I factor in at least one “loud moment of unhappiness.” — These are all strategies learned after a lot of those “loud moments of unhappiness,” and at a time when air travel has become a lot more uncomfortable for everyone, and we’re fortunate to be able to buy tickets that aren’t the cheapest, and that two tablets of melatonin definitely put Charlie to sleep.
Still, from reading the ABC News report, the response of the flight crew (those requests to tighten a seatbelt could evoke not only sensory distress in Charlie, but also agony at the barrage of words and orders directed to him) does not sound like it helped. Just today in New Jersey legislation calling for autism training for first responders (Bill A-1908/S-1217) passed and it seems that this kind of training—including more understanding about disabled individuals and the accommodations they need—-is more than called for. Janice Farrell has noted that “had the flight crew been more patient and understanding, the situation might not have escalated”: As parents of autistic children know, more patience, more understanding, can go a long way when you’re at the beginning of a long trip.
Jeff Stimpson
Jill Cornfield
Not too long ago I put a link in my forum for that comment page and since that time almost 200 more comments. It must be on the evening news since the airing was at 7:30 AM and I saw it. I did see a video link to it at yahoo home page so that and the news junkies are posting madly on it.
A recent one by someone who says the following:
” work with the autistic crowd and wow are they ever difficult and belligerent to work with!!!!! Children who are autistic are unmanageable and unreasonable. These children often times eat and/or throw their #### at people, scream at the top of their lungs for no reason at all or will hit anyone, for again, no reason. I totally understand why they were kicked off the plane. I think there should be special planes for “special” (and i use the term special loosely) people. Nurse
Posted by:
gypsy1035 7:45 PM”
I am tempted to reply to Gypsy and cannot believe this person works with those on the spectrum. WOW.
Personally I don’t even drive freeways with my kids, too much anxiety and I had suffered with meniere’s disease and dizzy spells several years ago. I thought at one time I had agoraphobia, but I think it is just the CA freeway system that freaks me out.
We did Amtrak to San Diego three years ago and will probably do it again in the near future. I would take Amtrak over driving and cannot see us trying to fly at all. Nick wants to go to Australia someday and by then they should have that new airline by Sir Richard that goes in a few hours to Australia from CA.
I thought the Mom did a good job in holding her boy on the show this morning and was not at all flustered. I could not maintain that focus with a kid all over me and cameras in my face.
Anyone have contact info for the Mom. It would be nice to get some cards to her like the Mom in Florida got and I would imagine how upsetting it would be for the family to read those comments.
that mention of the “autistic crowd” and “belligerent”??????? checking around for contact info—-
The Patriot Act, heightened terror alerts, the fall-out from 911, government phone eavesdropping, preoccupation with “illegal aliens”, oh yeah the war, our country has gone mad. Reading the abusive treatment heaped upon children is all of the above manifested by fearful adults. It has to end. On behalf of parents everywhere I am sorry for Adam, for the toddler on the plane, for the abuse and mistreatment at the hands of the “authorities”, airline personnel, clergies, teachers…so much for “stranger danger”.
My friends and I carry copies of the Air Carrier Access Act with us whenever we fly with our kids. Waving and citing a great big document outlining exactly why no one gets to bounce your disabled kid from a flight is most helpful, we’ve found.
“The Air Carrier Access Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in air travel and requires air carriers to accommodate the needs of passengers with disabilities.”
http://www.dotcr.ost.dot.gov/asp/airacc.asp
Bonnie… It just goes to show we have a long way to go before we can remove the stereotypes and stigmas that come with raising these children. For the life of me I will never understand how hiding a child from society will bring success in this. It pains me to know there are people like that ‘nurse’ working with kids like mine.
Ugh! I’m getting ready to single-handedly take my boys on a transatlantic flight and this makes my stomach and head hurt. I’m always astounded by how little compassion people have for others when they find themselves cooped up together on an airplane!!
@squid, thanks for the tip! I am printing it out for our trip to Florida!
We have been lucky so far with air travel, but who knows what could happen in the future. We plan everything out and try to think of every contingency. My son is already perseverating “make sure we have the liquorice so my ears don’t hurt when we descend”.
One of my favorite blogs (aside from yours of course!) is Crunch Cons (good book)…
http://blog.beliefnet.com/crunchycon/2008/06/erin-just-plane-awful.html had this to say:
I’ll make a deal with these folks: I’ll keep my autistic (but actually well behaved) children off of airplanes if these bitter travelers lose about 100 pounds or shower or not snore or breathe more quietly or talk less loudly or simply shut up or not block the aisles or not spend an hour in the bathroom or not get knee-walking drunk and breathe vodka on me or not keep poking me with their chubby elbows or not fall asleep in my direction with their gross hair gel in my face or not kick me in the back every 10 seconds when they’re sitting behind me or choose an aisle seat if they have to pee a lot when traveling or…well, you get the idea.
I think the talkers, the loud talkers who are obviously annoying everyone on the plane, are faaaaaar worse than any crying child. Can someone kick THEM off the plane? I simply can’t block them out when they get going.
I’m assuming that all of the people posting that bitter crap over there are perfect in every way.
Yeah, what Emily said. I won’t rock on the plane, if I don’t need to smell others, and their excess fat isn’t crowding me out of my seat.
I mean, the kid is TWO. All 2 year olds act up on planes.
“…The Air Carrier Access Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in air travel and requires air carriers to accommodate the needs of passengers with disabilities. …”
I guess that’s why the airline said
“…Though, ultimately, the parent’s violation of FAA regulations was the cause for removal, …”
That’s how they’re covering themselves. They’re not kicking a disabled person off the plane, they’re kicking the mom off for having a bag on the floor in front of her seat.
Yea, right.
Joe
I guess we have been really lucky in the many times we have flown with M. I don’t know how I would have handled that situation. I can’t believe what people are thinking leaving such ignorant, rude and tastless comments in regards to this story.
I will say that everything I am hearing in the news lately makes me more and more apt to be more reclusive with M. That is not good either. There has to be a balance but when every situation makes you feel like you have to be ultra prepared it just gets so exhausting.
All I can say is– I am outraged. I am currently trying to blog on the abc site and file a complaint with AA about this.
And if the child is 2, he’s perhaps rather recently diagnosed? Lots to deal with………
Regarding the mom leaving the bag on the floor in front of her seat. When Charlie was younger (2……), I’d try to get the bulkhead seat, on the theory that this would give him more room and also no one in front of us, so he would not kick the seat. But if you have a bulkhead seat you have to put your bag etc. in the overhead bin and I remember only realizing this when it was too late, and I really felt I needed my bag as Charlie’s snacks and everything were in it.
Yes, by the time I’ve finished preparing for the trip I’m so tired I just want to stay home!
A friend just send me this link—sounds like they were in bulkhead; this account really hits home:
http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/local&id=6223045
Is anyone organizing a protest?
Im in!!
Not flying American, for a start—-
Should we not fly AA, or
Should we ALL fly AA? On the same day.
And give all of their crew an intense course in dealing with it.
Joe
Joe, that’s great.
I don’t like AA anyway. Our last few flying experiences with them have not been good. We just had a far better experience on FRONTIER, of all things, than we’ve had recently on AA.
I’m also wondering where people got this idea that flying is supposed to be a quiet, restful experience. Mine almost never has been, and it’s always been because of the loud, obnoxious talkers and laughers, not because of children. Flying, unless you’re in your own private jet, is PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. And that means you’re traveling with the PUBLIC. I have to deal with that when I fly, and so should everyone else.
I think they lost my parents’ luggage…….
Southwest has been good to us.
Probably all fly on the same day but the price of tickets right now…….can’t!
Oh sure, quiet and restful—–at times I’ve said to Charlie (in a loud moment of unhappiness), ” you know, sweetie, what you’re expressing is what EVERYONE feels right now.”
I’ve been on two “interesting” flights: one lost (literally) it’s engine (where did it go?) and one slid on the runway during landing.
A child not restrained would have been severely, and I do mean severely, injured on those flights. The crews were great, especially the rough landing I had in Las Vegas. Everyone was quiet, listened closely, and was impressed with the crew.
I’m just not sure who is or is not “right” without having been on the plane. In some cases, maybe there is a real risk. The FAA fine for not having all passengers secured is $10,000. No small amount. But, flight attendants are poorly paid, constantly at risk of layoffs lately, and surely not in the best of cheer.
I wish I didn’t have to fly to Orlando. I’d drive if I could, but that’s too far and too expensive right now.
I am sure we hope the mother is “right” but we also need to consider a child in an aisle at takeoff is going to roll like a bowling ball. And no, we can’t send every employee of every company, every human being, to some sort of great “sensitivity training.” Wish we could, but never going to happen.
Emily said,
“Flying, unless you’re in your own private jet, is PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.”
———————————-
Thanks for emphasizing that. (I guess some people get confused that it’s a cruise or something because you can buy a cocktail.)
Personally, I think that people get wonky about children on airplanes, period, and are extrapolating that hostile vibe to this little boy in these comments, with the usual callous remarks by the armchair child psychologists and parenting experts.
The bottom line to me is the FAA/DOT regulation,
“…(b) A carrier shall not refuse to provide
transportation to a qualified individual with a
disability solely because the person’s disability results in appearance or involuntary behavior that may offend, annoy, or inconvenience crewmembers or other passengers.”
I know that I repeat myself, but in the ABC comments there seem to be considerable confusion between annoyance and feelings of entitlement v. the safety that the regulations address.
Just to clarify, when I say “comments”, I mean those at ABC, not those here.
Kind of like Joe’s intensive training idea, except that I would begrudge giving AA our travel dollars.
Air travel has become a necessary ordeal for us—it would be best if someone could invent a bullet train to get us to California in 7 hours, from New Jersey. It’s just not fun for any one these days and Charlie so clearly loves travel in trains and cars—-
C.S. Wyatt,
In 2 notable instances mothers and their small children have been removed from airplanes for
1) The child saying “bye-bye plane”, and annoying a flight attendant,
2) Because a mother was breastfeeding a baby and refused to put a blanket over the baby’s head.
Please point out the clear safety violation in those cases.
3) In another an autistic gentleman was removed because he insisted on talking about the airplane and annoyed other passengers, and the case was framed from the airline’s point of view of annoyance, not safety.
I take your point on the seatbelt, and safety is the primary function of the flight crew, but the question to me is whether the flight personnel were behaving well, or had a hand in escalating the situation. Since the FAA/DOT mandates disability training for the airlines, including those with cognitive disabilities, I do expect some level of awareness.
Doesn’t it seem a bit extreme to turn the plane around beause of a child doing what children sometimes do, even those without autism?
Kids sometimes scream and melt down! They can’t help it. But folks who pop gum anywhere near me can help it and not make such a horrible irratating noise.
That really does just seem extreme to me.
OK, I’m going to disagree. From the accounts I have read, the child was “rolling around in the aisle” while the plane was taxiing out to the runway. Along with the meltdown. Look, there are rules to be followed and I don’t expect anyone else to controll my child, that’s my job. I have yet to be booted from a plane but I have had to leave many a restraunt in a hurry due to my autie’s behavior that I couldn’t reign in in a timely fashion. No, it’s not fair. And it would be great if people were nicer, more tolerant, more everything. I suspect the flight crew just wanted to get the plane in the air.
C, no one really knows from an objective perspective what happened on that plane because there have yet (as far as I know) to be any published onlooker interviews. What the stories say right now is that the mother feels that the flight crew escalated the problem through their inappropriate response to the child’s noise and anxiety. I don’t care whether a child is autistic or not, the appropriate response to a traumatized or hysterical two-year-old is NOT crowding around, tightening seatbelts, speaking harshly, or having total strangers in uniform berate him or her. The appropriate response is to give the parent breathing room to quiet the child. Anyone who’s ever had or worked with children–or who can recall having been a child themselves–knows this.
There are flight crews that work well with children, and there are flight crews that do not. They did not say that they removed the child from the plane because he was rolling around in the aisles during taxiing (which would have been completely legitimate). They said they removed the child and his mother because she refused to properly stow her carry-on bag. The mother flatly contradicts that assertion. That sounds to me like someone’s working fast on some CYA on the part of the airline, but like I said, we won’t know what needs to be known until someone prints or reports some onlooker interviews.
In sum, they did not seem amenable to “letting the mother control her child.” They seemed intent on trying to control the child AND the mother. I’m still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that the pilot felt compelled to come back and start ordering around a two-year-old.
I agree to disagree. When I fly I do not expect (but have been pleasantly surprised) the flight crew to be “good” with children. I expect any interaction with my child to go through me. And Mom, who was no doubt doing the best she could, was not controlling her child. It doesn’t matter what disability the child has if any - if one can not follow the directions of the flight crew, one gets booted off the plane. These are tense and expensive time to fly and I look forward to a time when harried moms can be cut a lot more slack.
I hate flying. I consider it an occasional necessary evil. And I would also not like to give AA a chunk of our money just to prove a point.
My suggestion was just a little flight of fancy, if you will.
I’m with Emily in that from what we’ve seen so far, it appears that the flight crew (even with a little common sense, much less any special training) reacted rather poorly, and the airline is deep into CYA mode.
Joe
This is horrifying, but I would just like to add that American is not only unfriendly to those on the spectrum, but to anyone with disabilities.
I need a cane to walk. On a recent trip, my first three flights went relatively well- Some trouble, but nothing too drastic. My fourth flight- well, I got on an AA flight, and the troubles started. As soon as I boarded the plane a flight attendant tried to take my cane away. I was in aisle 22, so I obviously still needed it to get to my seat. He followed me all the way there, grabbed my bag before I coudl remove my book or earplugs, and then grabbed at my cane. I told him I would just keep it with me, and stow it under the seat. He argued with me, but I told him it had never been a problem on any flight I’d ever been on. I reasoned that if there was an emergency, I’d be a danger to everyone else if I didn’t have my cane to get to the emergency exit- I’m a large woman, and if I fall, there’s really no getting around me in those narrow aisles. He rolled his eyes and stalked off.
So, he went to get another attendant. She came back and yelled at me. I stood my ground, and I let her know I was unhappy with the poor customer service and their attitudes. Her reply? “This is very good service miss, and you need to obey me!”
They ultimatly put my cane in the overhead bin- I was crying too much from the stress to put up any more resistance. After we took off an young man from the Army got it down for me.
I’ll never fly with them again.
I have been frustrated with American Airlines for other reasons; maybe it’s a good time to write them an pi$$ed off letter. I’ll try to use the “free” mileage I’ve got with them and then, adieu.
I’d have gotten thrown off the plane for verbally ripping them a new one for yelling at my kid…
I read some of the comments on the article… they kept saying ‘he was rolling on the floor! they couldn’t take off!’ only the plane had already taken off, and turned around… It’s amazing how much people don’t read/pay attention too, and then base their opinions on…
@Regan
As has mentioned by others, any event in which you are not a party is being judged on only partial information. I work with a lawyer specializing in feminist causes and even she has admitted that cases sounding perfect to her ended up far more complex once investigated.
(Why a lawyer in my department? She quit law a year ago to study female body image issues.)
We can easily “pass judgment” on businesses, churches, and schools, but unless I’m in the situation, I’m always wondering what everyone else saw and experienced.
I know my sister considers even the slightest raise in voice to be “yelling” and “confrontational” while I am used to more heated debates following by consuming adult beverages (academic conferences). Cultural, familial, and other inputs shape how we view specific situations.
I just can’t say the mother is absolutely, positively, in the right. I hope so, but I don’t know that to be factual.
I know one mother nursing on a NWA flight upset several Muslim passengers. When they became loud and unruly, the mother was asked to help defuse the situation. But, the mother then began arguing, too. Sure, the complaint was invalid, but do you want to be taking off during a fight? It just isn’t worth it.
(Do you remove the Muslim passengers and get sued for discrimination? Do you remove the mother and get sued for violating a right to nurse law? Do you let them yell at each other for four hours?)
Welcome to flying… about 2/3 of my flights have been pretty good, though. I just don’t like being so close to people.
Navi, I think the stories say that the plane was “about to take off.” I think it was still taxiing. Otherwise, the pilot likely would not have come back into the cabin.
C.S. Wyatt,
I know I am just posing opinions, and as is usual if it was really going to be sorted out that takes a court case and a verdict. You seem to have pointed that out.
Just from the comments it is clear that
A) Flying is something to look forward to as a necessary evil, not necessarily enjoy, and
B) There is some variation in flight crews (I know that from just flying over the past 30+ years, where I have encountered great, OK and decidedly grumpy crews).
The line to me is the distinction between annoying and safe, and your point is taken that if adults lose their heads that that might begin to qualify as unsafe. It is also important to me that annoyances due to a disability are treated as specified in regulation; otherwise regulation is meaningless and fails to protect those for whom it was written.
What I am still disturbed by, more so than this specific incident, is the tone of opinion that I have seen on the web expressed towards this boy, his mother and those with autism or disabilities. People are just sounding off, but it’s still disturbing because it may be an airing of their actual day-to-day views.
Flying is Just Not Fun—–we’re always happiest in the car, I have to say.
I got an email from Janice’s sister in law. She will forward emails to Janice and her brother Jim.
I don’t want to post her email without permission, so if anyone is interesed send one to me and I can forward her email to you
autismfamily@ yahoo dot com
That is mine - Bonnie
Just thought that this might be interesting background on airline responsibilities and DOT regulation. I will note that most of the discussion is towards those with physical health impairments and service animals.
Audio webcast:
The Air Carrier Access Act: Protecting the Civil Rights of Airline Passengers with Disabilities, presented by Mike Spollen, U.S. Department of Transportation on September 13, 2006
“This Web cast will provide a brief overview of the Air Carrier Access Act of 1986 (ACAA), which prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in commercial air transportation, and it’s implementing regulation, 14 CFR Part 382 (Part 382).”
The focus of this webcast is General Counsel’s Aviation Consumer Protection Division, consumer civil rights vs.separate from the FAA, which regulates airline safety.
Also describes distinctions of ACAA regulations vs. ADA regulations.
http://www.ilru.org/html/training/webcasts/archive/2006/09-13-MS.html
I think it is the luck of the draw as to how the response to a child will be. So far we have been really lucky with compassionate airline employees, who listened to us and said, “What can we do to help?” instead of yelling at my son when he got anxious the last time we flew.
I have been on a 6 hour flight to Hawaii where my 3 yr old NT niece literally screamed and rolled in the isles when the seatbelt signs were turned off. My then 3.5yr old autistic son, not very verbal at that time, was a perfect angel, not a peep, sat quietly in his seat the entire time. I got compliments from more than 10 strangers about how “good” he was on the flight! They said they were dreading sitting around us when we boarded, but were pleasantly surprised by my son’s excellent behavior! Hah! I told them he was autistic, because I wanted them to know each kid is different, don’t judge them by stereotypes, and also to let them know how proud I am of my son!
It takes a LOT of planning, and so far we have been lucky our planning paid off, but as my son grows older and seems to have more anxieties, I am anticipating more difficulty with air travel. We will fly to Orlando in the fall, so we will see. My 3.5 yr old NT son is my worry now, he is a typical defiant, want to do it myself, don’t belt me in 3 yr old, and may pitch the fit of the century on the plane! I kind of dread the thought of being in the news if it turns out badly…
It’s strange–my absolute best flying experiences have been on Qantas (Australian airline) and American (their US partner). They were both excellent with me, and my crippled (cerebral palsy) girlfriend. We were allowed to board early for every flight (despite being 20somethings and healthy looking) to give us plenty of time to settle, and when a flight delay caused our plane from Melbourne to land late in LAX and miss our connection, they put us up in the Hilton hotel until our new flight to Dallas left, even though it was only for 8 hours and we could have stayed at the airport.
Every airline is good and bad, and if you get a bad crew is luck of the draw. I don’t blame AA for this, I blame the specific crew on that flight. American as a company aren’t any better or worse than the other airlines in the US; my very good experience with them doesn’t make them good any more than this makes them bad.
Another passenger from the Farrell’s flight has come forward and corroborated Janice Farrell’s version of the events that took place before they were deplaned. Shame on American Airlines for the incident and the lies. What they put Janice Farrell through is unconscionable.
Video
Witness disagrees with American Airlines
Fri 6/27 WTVD Raleigh-Durham
lol
I have not heard back from the second complaint I filed with them. Their first response included ” Farrel’s son’s behavior contributed .to uncomfortable..”. I then sent them a segment of the DOT horizons document (link posted above by someone else) indicating passenger and attendant discomfort is not a grounds for removal of a passenger with disabilities.
OMG - just watched the video
I am seriously considering taking a sign and finding the closest sidewalk to the airport
“Shame on unAmerican Airlines, Let Jerret fly!”
I have to say, the airlines exhibited what I would call “catastrophic thinking.”
This story mentioned this specific case but also some strategies and destinations,
Don’t avoid traveling with special needs kids
Eileen Ogintz
Connecticut Post